and the 55 other House members or candidates receiving endorsements from J-Street

Dear Senators and Representatives:

Sixty-eight years ago this week, US and allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy. On D-Day, more than 9,000 allied soldiers were killed or wounded, but the war turned in our favor. The conclusion of World War II led to the foundation of the State of Israel as a homeland for Jews, and the creation of Jordan as yet another homeland for Arabs.

For the Jewish people, this monumental decision formalized the villages and towns Jews had been creating on the land for 100+ years, and nationalized the historic, emotional and biblical ties our people have had to the land for over 4,000 years. For Arabs, the decision added Jordan (formerly TransJordan), which constitutes one the 50 predominately Muslim states we have today (Pew Forum, 2009).

Sadly, since November, 1947 when the United Nations approved Israel’s establishment, nearly 23,000 Israelis have been killed and tens of thousands more wounded, all to defend their homeland from constant attack. For a country with a total population less than New York City, this is a colossal loss.

Since its founding, Israel has been our greatest ally in an otherwise unstable region. In the Middle East, Israel is the only true democracy, with equality for all of its citizens regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual preference. Unlike their neighbors, Israelis enjoy a free press and freedom of speech, including speech against the government.

I’m sure you accepted the recent endorsement from J-Street with excitement. After all, J-Street bills itself as an organization of American Jews who are pro-Israel and pro-Peace. They share your vision for a “secure and democratic Israel.” And certainly American Jews have been staunch supporters of candidates who take a stand for Israel.

Unfortunately, you made the wrong choice by aligning your interests with J-Street. This was a decision that was likely ill-informed and could greatly hurt your campaign and your political future.

As someone who has spent years working online toward a better shared understanding of Israel, I can assure you that J-Street is NOT the benevolent pro-Israel group it purports to be. Their true goal is the eventual destruction of Israel as a Jewish state, and a willingness to support organizations that enable terrorist activities such as Hamas. Your acceptance of J-Street’s endorsement gives them legitimacy and a public forum to spread their message, and that may disenfranchise your constituents and potential supporters.

J-Street is funded primarily by leftist billionaire George Soros. Perhaps embarrassed by this, J-Street publically denied any Soros involvement until their hand was forced. Additional identified funders for this “pro-Israel” organization include a major Palestinian businessman, a board member of the Iranian lobby, a “Stop the Occupation” activist, the PR Director for an Islamic center (who was once nearly deported), and a Syrian-American who blogs on a site called “Arab-American Warrior Prince.” The motivations of these supporters seem quite clear.

J-Street’s record of actions, public (and private) commentary and most tellingly their donor list suggest they are disingenuous and are actually focused on the eventual destruction of the Jewish state. When Israeli citizens were hiding in bomb shelters daily from barrages of missiles from Gaza, J-Street encouraged 54 members of the House to send a letter to President Obama to put pressure on Israel, not the terrorists. The organization has publicly supported the now-discredited (by the author himself) UN-sponsored Goldstone report on Israeli actions in Gaza. Their vision is for a state of Israel with far less strategic defenses, surrounded by millions bent on her destruction. There is certainly a time and place for peace and love – but Israel’s enemies are not planning on it anytime soon. J-Street’s vision could lead to the catastrophic collapse of Israel as a Jewish nation-state.

“It is a fraud in advertising to call J Street pro-Israel. An organization that calls for the US to censure Israel at the UN is not pro-Israel. An organization that praises Goldstone is not pro-Israel. An organization that calls for taking any military measure against Iran off the table is not pro-Israel. It should stop defrauding the public.”

Senators, Representatives… it’s not too late. You can make a strong statement to American Jews and to Israel by denouncing J-Street’s endorsement and refusing its contribution. This is not a partisan appeal. I don’t care if you are Blue or Red and neither does Israel. But by accepting support from J-Street, you are heading into a black hole from which your campaign and perhaps Israel as we know it will find it difficult to recover.

]]>http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2012/06/10/a-d-day-wakeup-call-for-j-street-endorsees/feed/0Tell the University of Pennsylvania BDS is WRONGhttp://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2012/01/28/tell-the-university-of-pennsylvania-bds-is-wrong/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tell-the-university-of-pennsylvania-bds-is-wrong
http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2012/01/28/tell-the-university-of-pennsylvania-bds-is-wrong/#commentsSat, 28 Jan 2012 20:32:51 +0000Adam Haninhttp://actforisrael.org/blog/actionalerts/?p=434On February 3, the “2012 National Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Conference” will get underway at the University of Pennsylvania. Act for Israel co-Founder, Adam Hanin is an Alumnus of Penn and wrote an email to University President Amy Guttman expressing his concern. You can see the email here: http://actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2012/01/28/upenn_hatred/. Please take a moment to share your thoughts on [...]

On February 3, the “2012 National Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Conference” will get underway at the University of Pennsylvania. Act for Israel co-Founder, Adam Hanin is an Alumnus of Penn and wrote an email to University President Amy Guttman expressing his concern. You can see the email here: http://actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2012/01/28/upenn_hatred/.

Please take a moment to share your thoughts on the BDS movement with President Guttman. You can email her at this address: presweb@pobox.upenn.edu . For more insight into the fallacies that support the BDS movement, click here and here.

]]>http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2012/01/28/tell-the-university-of-pennsylvania-bds-is-wrong/feed/0Does the University of Pennsylvania Promote Hatred?http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2012/01/28/upenn_hatred/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=upenn_hatred
http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2012/01/28/upenn_hatred/#commentsSat, 28 Jan 2012 20:25:34 +0000Adam Haninhttp://actforisrael.org/blog/?p=3252The University of Pennsylvania is one of the oldest in the country. It is known for its superb academic tradition , particularly in Law, Business, and Media studies. Historically, since its founding by Benjamin Franklin in 1740, Penn has imbued tens of thousands of students with knowledge and truth. That history is set to end on [...]

The University of Pennsylvania is one of the oldest in the country. It is known for its superb academic tradition , particularly in Law, Business, and Media studies. Historically, since its founding by Benjamin Franklin in 1740, Penn has imbued tens of thousands of students with knowledge and truth.

That history is set to end on February 3, when the PennBDS group hosts the “2012 National Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Conference”. One of our founders, Adam Hanin, is an Alumnus of Penn, and sent the following note to the President of the University today. Please follow up with your own words of discouragement to President Amy Guttman. You can reach her at presweb@pobox.upenn.edu

_________________________________________________

President Guttman:

On February 3, Your University – and my Alma Mater – will be hosting a national conference supporting terrorism and hate: http://pennbds.org/about/about

While I fully believe in free speech, I must raise a very strong and legitimate concern regarding this planned event. Many of the speakers at this event are avowed racists, call for violence against Jews globally, and support terrorism through their words, actions, and finances. The overall
goal of this event is to eradicate the State of Israel – the ONLY true democracy in the Middle East, the only country with TRUE freedom of religion and sexual orientation in the Middle East, and the United States’ greatest ally IN THE WORLD.

If you allow this event on campus, here are just some of the “experts” you will be hosting:

Their arguments are based on a distortion of history and a manipulation of facts based on years of propaganda generated by terrorists and despotic leaders. This is certainly NOT what the University teaches or stands for.

I ask you to ban the event from the University and take a stand for historical truth and against hatred. Benjamin Franklin founded Penn to train young people for leadership in business, government and public service, not to allow propaganda and hatred to infiltrate their lives.

As a proud Alumnus, I cannot allow the University to support such a vile and hate-filled event, and I am not alone in my concerns. Should this event go on as planned, I will ask for all alumni funding to the University to cease. I will also be forced to call into question the University’s mission and motivations, and will most certainly air those concerns more publicly.

]]>http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2012/01/28/upenn_hatred/feed/1Is Turkey Sailing Down the Wrong Path?http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2011/09/10/is-turkey-sailing-down-the-wrong-path/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=is-turkey-sailing-down-the-wrong-path
http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2011/09/10/is-turkey-sailing-down-the-wrong-path/#commentsSat, 10 Sep 2011 02:17:58 +0000Adam Haninhttp://actforisrael.org/blog/?p=2549The ever-entertaining Turkish PM Recep Tayipp Erdogan recently announced that he would begin sending Turkish naval vessels along with those trying to illegally break Israel’s blockade on Gaza. Why? Apparently he claims this is for humanitarian purposes – to support the poor, hungry Gazans. Well, our own Jennifer Hanin has done her research, and in [...]

The ever-entertaining Turkish PM Recep Tayipp Erdogan recently announced that he would begin sending Turkish naval vessels along with those trying to illegally break Israel’s blockade on Gaza. Why? Apparently he claims this is for humanitarian purposes – to support the poor, hungry Gazans. Well, our own Jennifer Hanin has done her research, and in a recent article on BigPeace, she blows Erdogan’s fantasy world apart.

Enjoy…

Erdogan, Send Your Warships To Niger Instead

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayipp Erdogan recently raised eyebrows when he deep-sixed Israeli diplomats from Turkey. But it was his later remarks broadcast on Al Jazeera television that Turkish warships would accompany Turkish aid vessels to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip that dropped jaws. Warships? Why would Turkish warships need to escort Turkish flotillas aiming to break Israel’s legal counter-terrorism naval blockade? This alone might lead some to believe Turkey has been first in line to aid Palestinians in Gaza. Not so fast. United Nations records show Turkey is not just conservative when it comes to aiding Gazans but rather stingy.

Similar to the US and the EU (incidentally UNRWA’s biggest donors), Erdogan would either have to remove his chokehold on his checkbook, go through official Israeli entry points or coordinate efforts directly with the Red Cross or UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) if he had a genuine interest in aiding Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. But don’t count on it. Erdogan’s actions of late go as far as to slap the UN in the face. Even UN chief Ban Ki Moon stressed that flotillas attempting to bring aid are counterproductive, and the UN supported that stance. What do other countries think? The US, Canada, Britain, EU publicly discouraged flotillas too.

This brings up the real question: what’s really going on with Gaza? UN officials repeatedly confirm there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Humanitarian goods enter Gaza daily. Besides, it wasn’t that long ago (2004 to be exact) that the Economist magazine ranked Gazan men as the 3rd highest in the world for obesity and Gazan women as 8th highest. And poverty? That answer remains anywhere but Gaza: Sub-Saharan Africa is the poorest region in the world, followed by South Asia, according to a new Multidimensional Poverty Index or MIP developed by Oxford University with support from the UN. For Gaza and the West Bank? Read on.

]]>http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2011/09/10/is-turkey-sailing-down-the-wrong-path/feed/0The Flotilla Undertowhttp://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2011/07/11/the-flotilla-undertow/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-flotilla-undertow
http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2011/07/11/the-flotilla-undertow/#commentsMon, 11 Jul 2011 23:30:15 +0000Adam Haninhttp://actforisrael.org/blog/?p=2445Our own Jennifer Hanin recently had an article about the failed Freedom Flotilla 2 published in Andrew Britbart’s BigPeace.com. In it, she addresses the true reasons behind the flotilla (as you can probably guess, it’s NOT humanitarian) and demonstrates the connections between flotilla participants and Hamas. Flotilla-O-Rama: The Sequel Originally Published on BigPeace.com Do you [...]

Our own Jennifer Hanin recently had an article about the failed Freedom Flotilla 2 published in Andrew Britbart’s BigPeace.com. In it, she addresses the true reasons behind the flotilla (as you can probably guess, it’s NOT humanitarian) and demonstrates the connections between flotilla participants and Hamas.

Flotilla-O-Rama: The Sequel

Do you support a cause drowning in innuendo? Share facts online when lies are reported erroneously? Take action via Twitter, Facebook or in person to evoke a brighter future? Many would argue activism to improve the lives of others is hard-wired into our human condition, built-in to our DNA. Hearing about hunger, deprivation, or other human rights violations is hard to stomach. But what if activism is used as a cover for sinister purposes? What if people hijack language reserved for human rights activists and apply it to efforts to eradicate a nation-state?

Take the situation in Gaza for example. When you first hear about groups banding together to provide humanitarian aid to Gazans it appears altruistic. What right-minded person would vie to see Gazans supposedly starve, deny their necessary means of survival or hamper their progress as a people? Yet, what if the campaign to aid Gazans was marred by an undertow of deceit? What if the “Freedom Flotilla 2”, which is actually the 10th effort to break Israel’s counter-terrorism blockade, is the product of a group of organizers whose sole goal is to further delegitimize Israel and ultimately eliminate the Jewish State? What if these organizers have a hidden agenda to strengthen Hamas’s political objectives and make it difficult for Israel (and Egypt) to deter arms smuggling and terrorists from flooding the Gaza Strip? In short, what if these organizers were all connected to Hamas in a web of lies? Meet the key organizations and people involved in Freedom Flotilla 2:

Websites of the groups involved in Freedom Flotilla 2 claim they have a humanitarian interest in aiding Gazans. Take the ECESG (European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza) for example. Once you type this acronym or its full name into your browser, you land on a site with a headline that reads:

“Working Towards the Dignity and Freedom for the Palestinians in Gaza.”

Sounds humanitarian.

ECESG’s vision statement reads:

The ECESG works towards a future in which the inviolable human rights of the Palestinian people are realized within the framework of international law and human rights conventions.

Here’s the catch. The rhetoric simply hijacks existing human rights language. It makes no mention of the terrorist group Hamas who is a proxy of Iran, and has had a stranglehold on the Gaza Strip and the Palestinians who live there since 2007. It does not mention the fact that Hamas threw Fatah members from rooftops during Hamas’ bloody seizure of Gaza the same year.

ECESG mission statement reads:

The ECESG is an umbrella body of non-governmental organizations across Europe that advocates the fundamental right of the Palestinian people in Gaza to live in peace and dignity without being subjected to any form of collective punishment such as the cutting of supplies of food, fuel and medicine or their denial of free access to travel outside Gaza Strip. The ECESG supports the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in Gaza and lobbies for pressure to be exerted on the Occupying Power to lift its siege and end the human tragedy there.

It urges the participation of politicians and non-politicians alike to honor their duty to stop the suffering of one and a half million people trapped in Gaza under the most inhumane conditions. Supported by international and humanitarian law, the ECESG encourages all peoples of conscience and human rights advocates to intensify their efforts to highlight this life-threatening issue and end the catastrophe.

This one is a colossal lie. ECESG’s site misleads and misinforms visitors as it makes no mention of the fact that Hamas has stolen thousands of tons of aid from Palestinians, and left them in the dark after turning off their electricity – just so that Hamas could release staged pictures of Palestinians sitting in candlelit rooms, in order to blame Israel. It makes no mention of the gross human rights violations Hamas has conducted in the Gaza Strip. These heinous crimes include violating the Geneva Convention at every turn. Hamas has refused Red Cross visits to kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit during his five-plus years in captivity as well as the ability for him to communicate with his family via mail. In fact, Hamas has not shown any signs of life of Gilad in years, only an eagerness to swap him (or, sadly, perhaps his body) for a 1000 terrorists in Israeli prisons.

Hamas has mutilated captured Israeli soldiers rather providing humane treatment, and routinely used civilians and children as human shields. Hamas also uses homes, schools and mosques to store and fire weapons on Israeli civilians, and arrests, jails and murders Palestinians at whim.

So who is the ECESG?

Simply put, ECESG is an anti-Israel, pro-Hamas umbrella organization that organized the Freedom Flotilla 2, supported the Mavi Marmara flotilla, and is involved in other projects to further delegitimize and isolate Israel.

The ECESG founder, Amin Abu Rashed (aka Amin Abu Ibrahim) is one of the key organizers of Freedom Flotilla 2. A daily Dutch newspaper, De Telegraaf, recently named Rashed as the “brain behind the flotilla” and main backer. He is a Palestinian born in Lebanon who holds a Dutch passport and subscribes to the radical ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood. Rashed’s past affiliations include the Dutch branch of the Al-Aqsa Foundation, and the Union of Good. Israel outlawed Al-Aqsa in 1997, and declared it a terrorist organization in 1998. The US followed and designated Al-Aqsa as a terrorist group in May of 2003, and then designated the Union of Good in 2008.

Rashed’s resume gets even more pockmarked as he was implicated in the prosecution of the Holy Land Foundation, which the US Treasury cited as a Specially Designated National and the European Union (EU) banned it for its financial material support to Hamas. For those keeping score, this adds up to Rashed having connections to three organizations that exist to support Hamas’s terrorist agenda.

Greek authorities have blocked all Gaza-bound ships in Freedom Flotilla 2, and deserve special thanks. The U.S. ship called the “Audacity of Hope” was blocked along with the Tahrir. The Tahrir was full of activists but had no humanitarian aid onboard. It’s not surprising to hear the “activists” on the “Audacity of Hope” rejected Greece’s offer to ferry their purportedly humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The “activists” responded to their recent detention by holding a hunger strike outside the US Embassy in Athens demanding the US government allow them to sail to Gaza.

So if the “free Gaza” rhetoric along with the flotillas isn’t a “humanitarian mission,” what is it? Could this be the turning point where governments around the world realize the difference between activists and terrorists? At the very least, the world should be able to discern that such a vast discrepancy exists.

]]>http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2011/07/11/the-flotilla-undertow/feed/0Thank Greece for Stopping the Flotillahttp://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2011/07/08/thank-greece-for-stopping-the-flotilla/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thank-greece-for-stopping-the-flotilla
http://www.actforisrael.org/blog/blog/2011/07/08/thank-greece-for-stopping-the-flotilla/#commentsFri, 08 Jul 2011 01:13:08 +0000Adam Haninhttp://actforisrael.org/blog/actionalerts/?p=315The Greek Government recently put a stop to the anti-Israel flotilla by refusing to allow any of the boats to leave their ports. Read OUR note to them here and fill out the form below to send an email that lets Greece know you appreciate their actions!

The Greek Government recently put a stop to the anti-Israel flotilla by refusing to allow any of the boats to leave their ports. Read OUR note to them here and fill out the form below to send an email that lets Greece know you appreciate their actions!

Catherine Ashton Must Apologize & Resign

Over the years, Act For Israel has noticed an apparent bias in your language and policy positions in favor of Palestinian issues over the concerns of Israeli needs, sometimes this rhetoric has even closely resembled antisemitism. As the foreign policy chief for the EU, we believe it is imperative that you maintain impartiality and refrain from drawing moral equivalency between the murder of innocent Jewish schoolchildren in France and complex terrorist perpetuated conflicts.

We call on you to apologize immediately to the friends and families of the victims of the Toulouse shooting, and to Jews worldwide who fight daily against antisemitic comments and religious hatred.

We also urge the EU to consider other candidates for your post should you continue to show preference to one side of the complicated Israel-Palestinian conflict. In light of previous remarks published in the The Economist describing you as a virtual unknown with paltry political experience, having no foreign-policy background and never holding an elected office together with your recent questionable remarks and failure to remain impartial, we believe that your inexperience may severely jeopardize the EU's ability to promote effective foreign policy in the Middle East region.

These actions and positions endanger the French Jewish community, the greater European Jewish community as well as Jewish communities worldwide. For all the above mentioned reasons Act For Israel respectfully requests a reevaluation of your suitability for the position of EU Foreign Policy Chief.

Israel is an “occupier” who is committing human rights violations against Gazans with its oppressive blockade.

Fact:

The Israeli government implemented a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip to protect Israeli citizens who were the target of repeated Hamas-led terrorist attacks. The maritime blockade limits Hamas’s ability to smuggle arms via sea. Hamas governs Gaza and is devoted to the destruction of Israel. Prior to the maritime blockade, Hamas used the area to smuggle weapons and supplies used to kill innocent Israeli civilians. Israel has the legal right and responsibility to protect its citizens.

Myth:

Why can’t everyone just let the flotillas through the blockade? I don’t understand why this is such a big deal. After all, what will happen if Israel lets a few ships through?

Fact:

In order for Israel’s blockade (erected to diminish terrorism) to remain legal, it has to be consistently enforced. Israel’s enemies know this. There is only one principle that certifies the continuation of the blockade as legal in the eye of the International law: the principle of effectiveness. Israel has to prevent all ships from entering or leaving the blockade zone. If the blockade rules are breached even once, the blockade is deemed ineffective and is therefore immediately ineffective legally.

Myth:

Israel’s blockade is illegal

Fact:

International law dictates neighboring governments can erect blockades when areas are under enemy control. There is an international consensus that the blockade is a response to armed conflict and therefore, the laws that govern authorize maritime blockades. Despite efforts of various groups around the world to break the blockade, the basic admissibility of the Israeli blockade in the eyes of the law has never been called into question.

Myth:

Israel’s blockade is oppressing the people of Gaza in the same way African Americans were wrongly oppressed for many years in the USA.

Fact:

Hamas ruled Gaza fired over 12,000 rockets into Israel making it NOTHING like African Americans who were oppressed for centuries. Unlike the African American struggle in the US, the conflict with Hamas is a military conflict, rather than a civil issue. Because it is a matter of an armed conflict, international laws that govern these issues apply.

Myth:

The situation simply can’t go on like this. The people of Gaza are suffering. It seems to me that all US citizens who care about equality should band together to help the plight of the people of Gaza.

Fact:

We can’t disagree with the fact that there are blatant human rights violations in Gaza. But, the facts quickly show that it is Hamas causing their suffering. Hamas is an oppressive and fundamentalist regime that imposed constricting rules that negate the most basic elements of civic freedom. Innocent civilians are routinely jailed, injured and often executed by Hamas. Hamas systematically tortures gays and lesbians. Hamas cut off the flow of free information by shutting down Internet Cafes and opposing newspapers. Women’s rights are deteriorating daily and there is growing violence against women under Hamas rule. True human rights activists don’t support vicious human rights violators.

The State Department recently issues a stern warning to US activists on board of the Flotillas:

“US activists providing support to flotillas are subject to fines & jail.”

Myth:

Israel’s blockade is causing millions of families and children in Gaza to starve.

Fact:

That’s news as the Economist listed men in Gaza as the 8th most obese and women in Gaza as the 3rd most obese group in the Middle East. There hasn’t been a credible organization to support the charge that Gazans are facing a humanitarian crisis that justifies breaching the blockade. Humanitarian goods enter Gaza through legal routes daily. Even UN officials repeatedly confirm there is an ample supply of food and consumer goods. Multiple international studies indicate the population of Gaza has a higher standard of living than people in nearly all of Africa, including South Africa, as well as parts of Asia and the Middle East.

According to the CIA’s The World Factbook, life expectancy at birth in Gaza this year is 73.91. People in Gaza can expect to live longer than in Russia and Brazil, India and Turkey.

First, Israel carries nearly twice that daily. On 6/26, Israel deployed 217 truckloads (5,800+ tons) of goods & fuel to Gaza via Kerem Shalom Crossing. Second, Gaza is flourishing right now with a luxury hotel, a multi-level shopping center, and two hotels and yet another shopping center are about to open. Anyone calling Gazans impoverished hasn’t been there.

Myth:

The UN is highly supportive of aiding Gazans and helping them achieve a better way of life.

Fact:

This is precisely why activists who wish to support the people of Gaza should make their donations via the UN. The UN assists Gazans through UNRWA. Recently, the UN Chief, Ban Ki Moon, stressed that the flotillas are counterproductive.

Myth:

Flotillas are not a press stunt. We are determined to free Gazans.

Fact:

While organizers of the flotillas are motivated by a political agenda, it is likely that many activists are motivated by a desire to help the people of Gaza. For a real change to take place, activists should focus their attention on Hamas. While the Palestinian Authority demonstrated record breaking economic growth during 2009 and 2010, Hamas strangled Gaza’s economy. Hamas spends its funds in weapons and arsenal to fight Israel, instead of focusing on economic growth and education. The blockade was not created to promote needless suffering for the people of Gaza. It was created as a direct result of repeated Hamas terror attacks on Israeli civilians.

On June 19, Israel Navy Chief Vice-Admiral Eliezer Marom said:

“A flotilla driven by hate has recently been organizing in an attempt to reach Gaza’s shore with a clear intent to come to a confrontation with IDF troops. This is a flagrant attempt to delegitimize Israel and create a PR stunt.”

Myth:

The flotilla is the only way to deliver Gazans essential items in bulk. We intend to do just that to liberate them.

Fact:

The most conventional way for the average Joe to donate to civilians in the Gaza Strip is by international aid organizations. The two biggest organizations are UNRWA and the Red Cross. Both have fundraising branches all over the world, as well as websites where anyone can donate. These international organizations urge potential donors not to send goods but rather to make financial contributions which will be purchased locally and then transferred to Gaza. For example, this is taken from the Canadian Red Cross website:

“Donations of food, clothing and other items, while well intentioned, are not the best way to help those in need. There are tremendous processing and transportation costs involved in shipping these items to beneficiaries. Local purchases of food and clothing are more culturally appropriate and effective. Red Cross supplies can be purchased in the immediate area, thereby reducing transportation costs. Cash transfers to the affected region provide the optimum flexibility to our Red Cross colleagues so they can meet the most urgent needs.”

Hamas (AKA a terrorist entity) government is a serial human rights violator to its own people.

The White House Press Secretary said:

“We urge all those wishing to deliver goods to do so through established channels so that their cargo can be inspected and transferred via land crossings into Gaza.”

Myth:

I don’t really trust UNRWA and the Red Cross to deliver aid items to Gaza. I heard Israel blocks most of the supplies.

Fact:

There are established processes in place to ensure that aid does reach Gazans. These processes are monitored by the UN and the Red Cross, as well as by numerous NGO’s on a regular basis. As a first step, Israel approves the aid items to ensure they will not be used by Hamas or any other organization for terrorism purposes. Though, from that point, the goods are purchased locally in coordination with a Palestinian Authority delegation in the Gaza Strip. The day before all goods are set to transfer to Gaza, the Palestinian Authority in Gaza sends a list to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank to ensure donations are not part of the “controlled entry items list.” Once the list is approved, the Palestinian Authority contacts local vendors and truck drivers. The next morning, truck drivers arrive at the Kerem Shalom Crossing with all the goods.

Myth:

I heard there is a tremendous shortage of construction supplies and the people of Gaza can’t build new homes.

Fact:

The fastest way to resolve the shortage in construction materials is for Hamas to lay down their weapons and recognize Israel’s right to exist. Israel allows all construction materials to enter the Gaza strip for internationally supervised projects. The challenge is Hamas, which controls housing, street pavements and public works projects. Hamas has demonstrated it uses construction supplies to build bombs. Yet, even while faced with the dire needs of its population, Hamas refuses to turn away from its commitment to destroy the state of Israel. For Israeli citizens, Hamas’ conversion of construction materials to weapons is deadly and tragic.

Myth:

Gazans are suffering daily and flotillas are enroute to aid staving Gazans.

Fact:

Flotillas are trying to break Israel’s blockade to arm Ismail Haniyeh, Head of Hamas, a radical Islamic movement oppressing Gazans.

Myth:

Hamas is anything but a “terrorist” organization.

Fact:

The US, Canada, EU, Israel, Japan, the UN and Amnesty International classifies Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Myth:

Flotilla activist are peaceful and are only bringing supplies and goodwill.

Noted author, poet and civil rights activist Alice Walker is on board. How can she be wrong?

Fact:

Even lauded authors can be on the wrong side of history. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a friend to Israel, and would have likely been appalled by Alice Walker’s “activism.” We believe that Ms. Walker is on board because she thinks she is taking a brave step for a better future. We feel strongly that Ms. Walker should actually visit Gaza through legal and safe means. We invite her to walk through the markets, explore the education system and look into women’s equality. If that is too much, we suggest reading the Hamas Charter, which clearly calls for the destruction of Israel and the implementation of Islamic rule.

Myth:

Hamas works only to promote the rights of the oppressed Palestinians.

Fact:

Hundreds of Fatah Activists were murdered when Hamas took over. Many were thrown from rooftops to their death.

Myth:

Hamas has reformed its way and are now “moderates.”

Fact:

Moderates don’t kill civilians or use them as human shields. Dozens of innocent civilians were injured and imprisoned by Hamas, and even more were used as human shields. Other victims were kidnapped from their homes and found dead in Gazan hospitals.

Myth:

The people of Gaza spoke and voted for Hamas unanimously.

Fact:

Hamas’ primary backer is Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism.

Myth:

The people of Gaza receive accurate information about Israel.

Fact:

Hamas shut down 45 internet cafes and non-aligned newspapers to circumvent the free-flow of information. BBC reporters were kidnapped by armed forces, forcing other foreign reporters to flee. Fearing for their lives, hundreds of Palestinians civilians escaped towards the Israeli border.